1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disc brakes for automobiles, and in particular, to a method of manufacturing a disc brake backing plate with a hole located within an edge of the backing plate.
In manufacturing a backing plate, it is customary to place a backing plate pre-form on an assembly line where tools with different punching and stamping surfaces will shape its contact surface to produce features such as holes or knobs to assist in attaching and retaining a friction pad. However, an additional hole within the edge of the backing plate parallel to the surface may be required, for example, to retain a conventional anti-rattle spring.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art methods for manufacturing a backing plate with an edge hole have required the backing plate to be removed from the assembly line and for the hole to be drilled by hand, requiring additional labor, creating delays and adding costs. In addition, drilling a hole within the edge may introduce structural weaknesses into the backing plate leading to cracking and other modes of structural failure.